Railway-switch-operating mechanism



Oct. 22, 1929. c. THORN ET AL RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 19. 1928 lllllllllllll |||.ll\

INVENTOR Chas.7 /1okn, 4

Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES THORN, OF PHILADELPHIA, AND WILLIAIM C. MCWHIRTER, 0F WILKINS- BURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA RAILWAY-SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM Application filed July 19,

Our invention relates to railway switch operating mechanisms, and particularly to mechanisms of the type involving a longitudinally movable slide bar co-acting with elements for causing operation of a railway switch.

One feature of our invention is the provision of a friction lock device for preventing creeping of the slide bar.

We will describe one form of mechanism embodying our invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view showing one form of mechanism embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the friction lock device shown in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the reference character 1 designates a base plate carrying a longitudinally movable slide bar 2 which is guided between rollers mounted on studs which project upwardly from the base plate. The slide bar 2 is reciprocated by any suitable means, such for example, as a fluid pressure motor 3, but the means for moving the slide bar forms no part of our invention. The slide bar 2 carries a roller 4, which 00- acts with an alligator jaw 5 pivotally mounted at the point 6 on the base plate 1. The alligator jaw 5 is connected by rod 7 with a railway switch S. The slide bar 2 also coacts in the usual and well known manner with a lock rod 8 which is likewise connected with the switch S. The parts which have thus far been referred to are standard, and their operation is well understood. It is sutlicient to point out that as the slide bar 2 reciprocates, the roller 4 coacts with the jaw 5 to cause the switch S to move from its normal position to its reverse position and vice versa.

It has been found that under some conditions there is a tendency for the slide bar 2 to creep away from the extreme position which it occupies when the mechanism is at rest. this tendency probably being due to vibration caused by passing trains. When such creepage occurs, it is, of course, manifested by the fact that the signals governing traffic 1928. Serial No. 293,941.

over the switch cannot be cleared because of the control of these signals by the usual circuit controller which is operated by the slide bar 2, but which forms no part of our invention, and Consequently, is not illustrated in the drawing. It is desirable, however, to prevent this creepage, and the purpose of our invention is the provision of a friction lock which tends to hold the slide bar in its extreme positions.

The reference character 11 designates a frame, the ends of which are bifurcated to form arms 11, and these arms are provided with apertures to receive the studs 9 and 10 which support certain of the rollers which guide the slide bar 2. The rollers which are supported by the stud 9 are designated 12, and it will be noted that one of these rollers is above and one below the left-hand bifurcated arm of the frame 11. The rollers associated with the stud 10 are designated 13, one of which rollers is above and the other below the bifurcated arm at the right-hand end of frame 11. The frame carries two dogs 14, one of which is pivotally mounted on the stud 9 between the two portions 11", 11 of the lefthand arm of frame 11, and the other of which is pivotally mounted on the stud 10 between i the portions 11*, 11 at the right-hand end of the frame. Each dog 14 is movable into and out of the path of the switch operating roller 4, and is biased into the path of this roller by a spring 16. As here shown, the inner end of each dog 14 is pivotally connected with a bolt 15 which passes through a hole in the frame 11 and is provided on its outer end with a nut 19. The inner end of the bolt 15 carries a washer 18, and the spring 16 is located between this washer and the inner wall of the frame 11, so that the spring constantly urges the dog 14 into the path of the roller 4. The two dogs 14 are so located that the left-hand dog 14 is very close to the right-hand side of roller 4 when the bar 2 is at the left-hand end of its stroke, and that the right-hand dog 14 is very close to the left-hand side of the roller 4 when the bar 2 is at the right-hand end of its stroke. It will be seen that when the bar 2 is in either extreme position, it cannot creep out of such position without moving one of the dogs 14 out of the path of the roller, and it cannot do this without compressing the associated spring 16. The spring 16 is so adjusted that the dog 14 *ofiers sufi-icient resistance to the roller 4 to prevent creeping of the slide bar 2, but not suflicient resistance to interfere withthe operation of the slide bar 2 by motor "3; It will be noted that each dog l iis pivotally mounted so that the portion which coacts with the roller 4 moves in an are which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the slide bar 2. This construction prevents binding of the dog, and permits free and unrestricted movem'entpfthes'lide bar except for thesligght additional force which must be exerted on the slidebar to "compress the spring 16.-

Although we have herein shown and describetlr -only one form ot'meehanism embedying .our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications be made therein withinthe-scope 'o't'tlre appended claims without departing firom the -spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, What we=-claim .is:

1. A-railwa-y switch actuating mechanism comprising; a longitudinally movable slide sonba r opcratively connected with the switch.

and means-including a rollerca-rried by bar and a spring pressed dog coactine with said-"roller to prevent creeping of said bar.

"QJATaiIWay swi'tc'h actuating mechanism smcomprising a longiti'idinal ly movable slide bar @peratively connected with the switch, rol'lercarniedby said bar, a-pivotallymounted wedgcwsha'ped' dog cO-acting with said roller. andasp-ring.acting on said dog to bias it into the path of said roller.

3.- 2\ railway switch actuating mechanism comprising a longitudinally movable slide bar'operatively connected with the switch. a

roller carried by said bar; a wedge-shaped dog 'pivotally mounted to swing in an are substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of'said bar and coaching with said roller. and a spring 'acti'nq'on said dog to bias it into the path of said roller.

4. .A-railwayswitch actuating mechanism comprising a longitudinally movable slide bar operatively connected with'thc switch, a rollercarr'ied by said bar, and two spring pressed dogs co-acting with said roller in 5 5= the two extreme positions of said'bar respectively *to prevent creeping of the bar away from such "extreme positions.

5. A railway switch actuating mechanism comprising a longitudinally movable slide bar operatively connected with the switch,

a rolle'r carried by said bar, two wedgeshaped dogs each pivotal-1y mounted to swing in an are substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said bar and ooacting with said roller in the two 'extreme positions of said bar respectively, and a spring associated with each dog for biasing the dog into the path of said roller.

6. A railway switch actuating mechanism comprising a longitudinally movable-slide bar operat-ively connected with the switch, and means including a roller carried by said bar and two spring pressed dogs coacting with said roller to preventcreeping. of said'bar away from either of its extreme positions.

7. A railway switch actuating mechanism comp-rising longitudinally movable slide bar, a roller carried by said bar, an alligator jaw operated by said "roller for moving the switch, and a spring pressed dog coacting with said roller to prevent creeping of said bar.

8; A railway switch-actuating comprising a longitudinally movable -sli'de bar,' a' roller carried-by saidibar; an alligator jaw operated by said roller for movingtlthe switch ,aapivotally'meunted wedge shaped d'o'g coac't'ing with said roller, and a splring acting on said dog to bias i t-into-the patlr'of'sai'df roller.

9. A railway switch actuating mechanism comprising a longitudinally movable slide: bar, a roller carried by-said bar; an alligator jaw operated by said rrol ler for-moving theswitclua wedge shaped dog'pivota'lilymounted torsivin'g an an are substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said bafand coactin g withsaidroller,- and arspring: acting on said dog to bias'itdntmthewpath of-csaid-i rol le-r.

1-0. A railway switchactuating mechanism com prising alongitudinally movable-- slide bar, a roller carried by -.-sai-d bar, aim-alligatorjaw operated by said rollerfor -movingitheswitch, and two spring pressed dogs enacting? 1.115 with said roller in the two extreme-positions of said bar respectively toprevent creeping; of. the bar-away from such extneimepositionsf-i 11. A railway :switch actuating :mech'anism comprising a longitudinallymovabl'e' slide 1m bar, 'a roller carried by saidba-r, ianal--- ligator jaw operated by said roller for moving the switch, two wedge shapeddogs each pivotally-lm'ount-ed to swing in anare substantially perpendicular to-lthedirection of movement of said bar and counting with said roll er-irn-the two extremepbsitions of said bar respectively, and a spring associated with eaohdog for biasing the \dog into the path-of said roller.

12. A railway switch actuating mechanism comprising a longitudinally imo vable -sl1de bar, roller carried by said bar, means-coaeting with saidroller fer "moving said "switch; and other means ooacti ng with said-roller for preventing creepingiof said barlawway from its er; ireme positions.

13. A railway 'switch actuating mechanism comprising a longitudinally movable -sl 1de bar, a roller-carried by said bar andaspiring pressed dog coacting with said roller to prevent creeping of said bar.

14. A railway switch actuating mechanism comprising a longitudinally movabe slide bar, a roller carried by said bar, a pivotally mounted wedge shaped dog coasting with said roller, and a spring acting on said dog to bias it into the path of said roller.

15. A railway switch actuating mechanism comprising a longitudinally movable slide bar, a roller carried by said bar, a wedge shaped dog pivotally mounted to swing in an arc substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said bar and coacting with said roller, and a spring acting on said dog to bias it into the path of said roller.

16. A railway switch actuating mechanism comprising a longitudinally movable slide bar, a roller carried by said bar, and two spring pressed dogs coacting with said roller in the two extreme positions of said bar respectively to prevent creeping of the bar away from such extreme positions.

17. A railway switch actuating mechanism i. comprising a longitudinally movable slide bar, a roller carried by said bar, two wedge shaped dogs each pivotally mounted to swing in an arc substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said bar and coacting with said roller in the two extreme positions of said bar respectively, and a spring associated with each dog for biasing the dog into the path of said roller.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

CHARLES THORN. WILLIAM C. MOWHIRTER. 

